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Where is the rain?

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Where is the rain?

Postby Robertfm » Thu Mar 12, 2020 10:11 am

Split off from the topic Altimeter/ barometer newbie.


Whilst my question is not about barometer setting it is about weather. I use live weather and previously when it's rained I've seen the rain. Now for the last couple of weeks in the UK there has been nothing but rain and high winds. The winds have been reflected in the flight but I have seen no rain although extremely dark rain clouds ahead.

My question is 'Is rain, scenery specific or plane specific. I have been flying the IDG PA28 during this time.
Last edited by Johan G on Thu Mar 12, 2020 5:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Split off from the topic "Altimeter/ barometer newbie."
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Re: Altimeter/ barometer newbie

Postby tdammers » Thu Mar 12, 2020 12:45 pm

It's (somewhat) plane specific, and depends on settings.

In order for raindrops to show on the cockpit windows, the aircraft needs to model them. This is aircraft model specific.

To show rain as it is falling, precipitation effects need to be enabled in the rendering settings.

To show the ground as "wet", you need to bump up the relevant shader settings.

If you haven't touched any of these, then the first thing to do would be to check your weather settings. The METAR textarea below will show the actual METAR being used for the current situation, even when it is automatic; so if you have selected "Live weather", then it should show the correct METAR for the area you're flying in. If not, then something went wrong with fetching that data.
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Re: Altimeter/ barometer newbie

Postby wkitty42 » Thu Mar 12, 2020 12:47 pm

Robertfm wrote in Thu Mar 12, 2020 10:11 am:My question is 'Is rain, scenery specific or plane specific. I have been flying the IDG PA28 during this time.

neither... it is weather scenario dependent and random since there's not enough information in METARs for completely accurate simulation... the best that can be done it to guess at some things and work with what we have for the rest...

eg: METAR doesn't say "there's a rain squall 2km in diameter over XXXX airport moving NE @ 5kts"...
"You get more air close to the ground," said Angalo. "I read that in a book. You get lots of air low down, and not much when you go up."
"Why not?" said Gurder.
"Dunno. It's frightened of heights, I guess."
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Re: Altimeter/ barometer newbie

Postby Robertfm » Thu Mar 12, 2020 3:16 pm

Now I am confused. Two replies, two different responses. So rain on Plane is or is not modelled ? Other rain is settings specific. Or neither is correct.
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Re: Altimeter/ barometer newbie

Postby tdammers » Thu Mar 12, 2020 11:35 pm

wkitty42 wrote in Thu Mar 12, 2020 12:47 pm:
Robertfm wrote in Thu Mar 12, 2020 10:11 am:My question is 'Is rain, scenery specific or plane specific. I have been flying the IDG PA28 during this time.

neither... it is weather scenario dependent and random since there's not enough information in METARs for completely accurate simulation... the best that can be done it to guess at some things and work with what we have for the rest...

eg: METAR doesn't say "there's a rain squall 2km in diameter over XXXX airport moving NE @ 5kts"...


No, but the METAR does say "rain", and even gives an intensity. And IME, when it does, the simulation does reflect this, as long as the relevant shader setting are enabled.
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Re: Where is the rain?

Postby Robertfm » Fri Mar 13, 2020 10:00 am

I have precipitation checked, are there any other settings required.
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Re: Altimeter/ barometer newbie

Postby wkitty42 » Fri Mar 13, 2020 5:12 pm

Robertfm wrote in Thu Mar 12, 2020 3:16 pm:Now I am confused. Two replies, two different responses. So rain on Plane is or is not modelled ? Other rain is settings specific. Or neither is correct.

rain must be modeled in a craft if it is to show rain on the windows and body... other than that, rain is controlled by METAR and simulated from there... the three work together... two, METAR and weather engine, for outside effects and the craft reading from them for craft-side rain, lightning, and thunder effects...
"You get more air close to the ground," said Angalo. "I read that in a book. You get lots of air low down, and not much when you go up."
"Why not?" said Gurder.
"Dunno. It's frightened of heights, I guess."
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Re: Where is the rain?

Postby Robertfm » Fri Mar 13, 2020 5:21 pm

So the IDG PA28 isn't modelled for it.
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Re: Where is the rain?

Postby wkitty42 » Fri Mar 13, 2020 5:34 pm

Robertfm wrote in Fri Mar 13, 2020 10:00 am:I have precipitation checked, are there any other settings required.

what, exactly are you looking for? which craft?

try this: in the launcher, Environment, enable Advanced weather modeling, disable Real-world weather, select Stormy Monday in the Weather Scenario... load the sim... you should get heavy rain with lightning and possibly thunder... rain should appear on the craft body and windows if modeled by the craft... you should also hear thunder when lightning strikes if the craft models it...

i'm in the UFO and it doesn't model it... the c172p, on the other hand, does model rain on the craft as well as thunder when lightning strikes...
"You get more air close to the ground," said Angalo. "I read that in a book. You get lots of air low down, and not much when you go up."
"Why not?" said Gurder.
"Dunno. It's frightened of heights, I guess."
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Re: Where is the rain?

Postby wkitty42 » Fri Mar 13, 2020 5:36 pm

Robertfm wrote in Fri Mar 13, 2020 5:21 pm:So the IDG PA28 isn't modelled for it.

you wrote this while i was writing my above... yes, it is possible the PA28 doesn't model all of the weather effects...
"You get more air close to the ground," said Angalo. "I read that in a book. You get lots of air low down, and not much when you go up."
"Why not?" said Gurder.
"Dunno. It's frightened of heights, I guess."
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Re: Where is the rain?

Postby Robertfm » Fri Mar 13, 2020 6:09 pm

I tried the settings which you can do from the weather tab. Both Thunderstorm and Stormy Monday threw the plane around but no rain on plane. Obviously not modelled for the rain.
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Re: Where is the rain?

Postby D-ECHO » Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:31 am

Robertfm wrote in Fri Mar 13, 2020 5:21 pm:So the IDG PA28 isn't modelled for it.

Are you talking about the (deprecated) IDG-PA28 from github or the current PA28 from FGAddon?

The current PA28 from now on (pushed just minutes ago) does have a rain on windshield effect included.
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Re: Where is the rain?

Postby Robertfm » Sat Mar 14, 2020 11:04 am

I was talking your plane. I have been flying it regularly using X55 not KAP140 so it responds and is a pleasure to fly. Shame about the altimeter hold, I only forget it occasionally now.
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Re: Where is the rain?

Postby SurferTim » Sat Mar 14, 2020 11:40 am

I still have D-ECHO's PA28 installed from the FGAddon. It shows rain external and on the windscreen exactly as does my DHC-6.

Edit: I also have a older downloaded PA-28 version that shows rain external, but not on the windscreen.

BTW, if you select real weather and advanced weather, then select "thunderstorm", you will almost immediately end up upside down (which you should in that wind condition).
The surprise was not that it happened, but how fast it happened.
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Re: Where is the rain?

Postby Robertfm » Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:22 pm

I have downloaded D-Echo's latest update and now it is showing the rain on the windscreen.
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